Quality Control Sampling Of Sand

And Rootzone Mixture Stockpiles

O ne of the most important aspects of putting green
construction is the rootzone. Whether the rootzone
is composed of straight sand or a mixture of sand and
Amendments may also vary slightly from bag to bag or lot
to lot. And, when materials are blended, some variability
is introduced through the operation of the blending
amendments, quality control testing is recommended equipment. Good suppliers of sand, amendments, and
to ensure the rootzone material remains as consistent blending services can keep these variables to a minimum.
as possible. This is accomplished by removing samples
There is another major source of variability that
from the stockpile and submitting those samples to an
can cause significant discrepancies in the quality control
accredited physical soil-testing laboratory for analysis.
testing efforts. Improper and/or inconsistent sample
The goal of the sampling and testing procedure collection procedures will introduce unwarranted errors
is to monitor changes in the rootzone material as it is in the test results. Poor sampling procedures can result in
produced. It is important to realize that some change test results that make a good rootzone material appear to
is inevitable. As sand is mined from a pit or from a body be inconsistent and therefore of poor quality.
of water, the physical make-up of the sand changes.

When To Sample
There are two levels of sampling and testing that
should be carried out. The first level should take place at
the source where the sand and amendments are produced.
Samples should be collected and sent to an accredited
laboratory for analysis. The test results are then provided
to the person responsible for approval of the materials.
Sampling and testing several candidate materials
is the best means to identify the most appropriate and
cost-effective products. The laboratory will determine if
the sand meets the green construction criteria selected
for the project. For example, if the USGA’s Method of
Putting Green Construction is to be followed, the lab will
analyze the sand according to those criteria. Typically, the
lab also will add amendments to the sand in varying ratios
to identify the best mixture possible for the project. It is
important to realize that such amendments are added by
hand in the lab, often from small stocks they keep on hand.
Later, when the rootzone mixture is produced in bulk,
blending will be accomplished by machinery. As a result,
when samples are collected from the blended stockpiles
and compared to the preliminary testing, the numbers
are almost certain to vary. The initial testing procedure
should be used only to identify materials that fall within
the project guidelines.
The second level of sampling should occur
throughout the actual production of the rootzone
materials so that mistakes due to handling the material
during mixing and transportation are detected. Collect a
sample from the first 200 tons produced and submit to
the laboratory for complete analysis. If the lab determines
the sample meets the requirements of the project (e.g.
USGA Guidelines), the test results become the target
for all subsequent quality control testing. The goal of all
future rootzone material production is to match as closely
as possible the material in the first 200-ton pile. After
the initial 200 tons, collect a sample for every 1000 tons
of rootzone mix produced. If less material is being used
(for example, building only one green) or if the material
is inconsistent in its composition as indicated by testing,
sample every 500 tons or less.

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How To Sample
Field sampling errors are almost certain to cause
significant variability in laboratory test results and can
cause confusion, delay, and unnecessary expense. It is
imperative therefore, that stockpiles be sampled in a
manner such that the composite sample removed from
each pile represents the average properties of the entire
pile. To do this, a sufficient volume of material should be
taken with each sampling unit (a sampling unit is a core or
auger of a given dimension) and all sampling units should
be collected to make a composite sample (combining of
sampling units) that are of equal volumes.
To better illustrate the importance of removing
enough sampling units, consider the science of polling
during an election. If a pollster queried only a few
voters, there would not be a large enough sample of the
population to reasonably predict the outcome. While the
most accurate method would be to ask every single voter
how he or she voted, this is not feasible or cost-effective.
The pollsters utilize statistical analysis to determine how
large a group of voters must be interviewed to determine
the likely outcome of the election to a certain level of
confidence. The greater the number of voters interviewed,
the greater the level of confidence there will be in the
poll. Similarly, the more samples that are removed from
a stockpile, the more accurately the test results will
reflect the actual make-up of the pile. This document
recommends that at least 8 samples be collected from
each 1000-ton stockpile to achieve good results.
Field sampling procedures should be standardized
for the duration of the quality control testing program.
ASTM D 75-97, Standard Practice for Sampling Aggregate,
offers some guidance regarding the best method of
sampling putting green rootzone mixture stockpiles.
The standard states, “If circumstances make it necessary
to obtain samples from a stockpile of coarse aggregate
or a stockpile of combined coarse and fine aggregate,
design a sampling plan that will give confidence in results
therefrom that is agreed upon by all parties concerned
to be acceptable for this particular situation.” There are
two very important statements in this quote from the
standard. First, a sampling plan must be established.
Secondly, all parties should agree to the plan.

The standard does not state exactly how the sampling procedure
should be designed. To meet this need, the USGA utilized the expertise
of university, industry and laboratory professionals to develop the
following procedure. All samples should be collected as detailed in
the following step-by-step procedure.

Produce a stockpile of approximately 1000 tons. The individual in

the photo is standing in front of a recently produced, 1000-ton pile
of rootzone sand. Assemble the necessary tools for sampling the
stockpile. These include a:
• clean, 5-gallon bucket
• rubber hammer
• shovel
• permanent marker
• 1-gallon zip lock plastic bags

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• mailing labels and
• a large, non-permeable plastic tarp
The sampling tool is made from a 4-foot long piece of 2-inch PVC pipe. To make sampling easier, one end of the pipe can
be cut at a 45-degree angle. A PVC “T” can be placed on the other end to make it easier to push the pipe into the sand.
Duct tape can be used to mark the 2-foot sampling depth.

Step By Step Procedure For Sampling A Stockpile

Collect a minimum of 8 samples to ensure an accurate representation

of the pile. Take samples at four equidistant points around the pile, at
⅓ and ⅔ up the face of the pile, for a total of at least eight samples.

Dig a hole into the face of the pile to prevent collection of any of the
sand from the surface of the pile. Expose an undisturbed face of the
pile into which the collection tube can be inserted. When you first dig
into the pile, material from above will usually flow down the face into
the area you are clearing. Keep digging until the hole becomes stable.
The shovel also works very well to expose an undisturbed face. Make a
vertical cut down into the face just above the sampling point.

Insert the collection tube into the undisturbed face to a depth of two
feet. The tube should be inserted at a slightly upward angle to prevent
the sample from falling out when the pipe is removed. Mark the
collection tube to ensure uniform depth insertion. The “T” fitting on
the end of the two-inch, PVC pipe makes it easier to push the pipe into
the pile. In most cases, the pipe can be pushed in by hand to the proper
depth. In “tight” sand, a rubber hammer may be needed to drive the
pipe to the 2-foot depth.

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 Carefully remove the collection tube from the face of the pile.

Empty the sample from the tube into a clean, 5-gallon bucket.

Improper sample collection procedures will result in problems. This

sample is being collected incorrectly from the surface of the pile rather
than from within the pile. When this sample is tested, the results will
not represent the overall make-up of the stockpile. Samples collected
in this manner will be highly inconsistent from test to test since the
surface of the stockpile changes rapidly.

Samples collected from the surface of this pile can vary widely from
those collected from within the pile. Notice how the surface of the
pile has segregated due to wind and rain. As the finer materials erode,
the coarser materials accumulate on the pile surface. Test results of a
sample removed from this area would indicate a higher percentage of
coarse materials than actually exists in the pile.

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 After the eight samples are collected from the 1000-ton pile, the
5-gallon bucket should be about ½ to ⅔ full. (If a stockpile larger
than 1000 tons is sampled, the number of samples collected should
be increased proportionately. Thus, at least 16 samples should be
collected from a 20w00-ton pile.)

Empty the bucket onto a clean, non-permeable surface. Thoroughly

mix the samples together by hand. The combined sample should now
be reduced to approximately 1 gallon to be sent into the laboratory.
This is accomplished by splitting the sample. The sample should be
shaped into a square so that it can be divided into quarters.
Divide the sample into equal quarters. Opposite quarters will be
removed from the sample and discarded. For example, if quarters 1 and
4 are removed and discarded, quarters 2 and 3 will be recombined and
mixed again. Another square is then formed. The process is repeated
until the sample is reduced to approximately 1 gallon

Place the 1-gallon sample into a plastic, zip-lock bag. Label the outside
of the bag using a permanent marker. Record the pile number and
date of collection. Print the same information on a mailing label and
place the label on the outside of the bag. Place the sealed and labeled
bag into another plastic bag and seal it with duct tape. This labeling
and double-bagging procedure is important to ensure the lab receives
the sample intact.

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 With assistance from university and labortory scientists, the USGA Green Section has identified the maximum
amount of variation that should be tolerated for key test parameters measured during quality control testing. The
following table details a variability percentage for each parameter. This variability percentage is more accurately
referred to as the confidence interval and is used to establish plus or minus values for each measured parameter. For
example, assume the laboratory test indicates a value for fine sand to be 10%. Using the confidence interval percentage
for fine sand of 15%, the acceptable variance is 10% plus or minus 1.5% for an acceptable range for quality control
testing of 8.5 to 11.5%.

Table 1—USGA Confidence Intervals For Quality Control Testing

Test Parameter USGA Confidence Intervals

Fine Gravel 50%

Very Coarse Sand 50%

Coarse Sand 10%

Medium Sand 10%

Fine Sand 15%

Very Fine Sand 30%

Silt 25%

Clay 25%

Total Porosity 10%

Air-filled Porosity 10%

Capillary Porosity 10%

Saturated Conductivity 20%

Percent Organic Matter of Mix 0.2*

* The confidence interval for percent organic matter is not represented as a percentage. Thus, a reported value of 0.7% organic matter could
range from 0.5 - 0.9%.

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